Biden wins delegates in Wyoming and Alaska as he heads toward Democratic nomination

JUNEAU, Alaska —  President Biden has nudged closer to the Democratic nomination for reelection by winning party contests in Wyoming and Alaska.

As two of the least populated states, Alaska and Wyoming play minuscule roles in intraparty and general election voting in presidential contests.

Biden essentially clinched the Democratic nomination March 12 by winning the Georgia primary and is now all but certain to face former President Trump in November.

Alaska

Alaska Democrats held a voice vote for their party-run preference poll at in-person and virtual district meetings. The party announced Saturday that Biden won 15 pledged delegates.

Biden was the lone candidate eligible to receive votes after the other Democrat to qualify, Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota, suspended his campaign last month. The vote was held during meetings where other party business was conducted.

The polling was delayed a week. Democrats had planned a ranked-vote election by mail April 6, but that changed when only Biden and Phillips qualified for the ballot and Phillips quit the race.

Changes to the voting procedure were approved by the Democratic National Committee.

There were no provisions for write-in or uncommitted voters, said Lindsay Kavanaugh, the Alaska Democratic Party’s executive director.

“There is no option to vote nay,” she said. “You can abstain. You don’t vote yes or no, you vote for a candidate.”

The party proceeded with a vote, even with just one candidate, “to make sure we’re as inclusive as possible,” she said, and to avoid any suggestion that party leaders were deciding on candidates themselves.

Wyoming

In Wyoming, Biden won polling to determine which candidate got the state’s 17 national delegates.

The caucuses also decided who goes to the state Democratic convention June 1 in Casper. There, 13 of Wyoming’s national convention delegates will be chosen.

Wyoming’s other four “automatic” national delegates are the state party chair, vice chair and two national committee members, who have not yet pledged for Biden or anyone else.

Bohrer and Gruver write for the Associated Press. Bohrer reported from Juneau and Gruver from Cheyenne, Wyo.